Healthy Monday Celebration Recognizes 45,000 Miles Logged in October

Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion Program Director Rebecca Bostwick receives assistance from Otto in announcing the 2014 Walktober winners.

Monday, Nov. 10, capped off Healthy Monday Syracuse and Recreation Services’ month-long walking initiative and competition, Walktober. A lunchtime celebration of the accomplishments of all Walktober participants took place in 500 Hall of Languages.

Nearly 600 students, staff and faculty participated in Walktober across Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY ESF, and walked over 45,000 miles during the month of October. This is nearly equivalent to the distance of 9.5 round trips between Syracuse and Los Angeles.

The second annual Walktober was designed to motivate people to stay active during the fall months. Participants could register as individuals or members of a team and were given free pedometers and Monday Mile passports to assist in tracking their distance walked. Lerner Fellows with Healthy Monday Syracuse hosted group walks every Monday during October and participants were asked to submit their miles weekly to be posted to a leaderboard. Participants were encouraged to walk the Monday Mile routes located throughout Onondaga County, and the program also included an Instagram photo contest for students to showcase their favorite places to walk.

Monday’s celebration was an opportunity to bring together those who had participated and recognize everyone’s efforts toward a common goal. Participants shared feedback about how Walktober had inspired them. One participant commented, “I have to say, knowing that I can check off a few more thumbs up [on the Monday Mile passport] somehow pushed me to do a little more, saying to myself, ‘I can do better than last week … take the stairs, walk from the parking lot, it is not too cold to go out and get coffee, it tastes better and the walk will be good’ … I am up to 47 miles and still counting!”

Prizes, including Healthy Monday gear, Meatless Monday restaurant gift cards and fitbits, were awarded to winners in several categories. Following are the 2014 Walktober winners:

Student small team (teams of five or fewer students, winners determined by average number of miles walked per team member)
1st: The Steppiest, Syracuse University and SUNY ESF (240.6 miles)
2nd: Emmat, SUNY ESF (203.9 miles)
3rd: Team Fit, Syracuse University (145.9 miles)

Faculty and Staff large team (teams of six or more employees, winners determined by average number of miles walked per team member)
1st: Crazy Walkers, SUNY Upstate and Syracuse University (182.5 miles)
2nd: Red Hot Chili Steppers, Syracuse University (174.5 miles)
3rd: Forschungsgemeinschaft, Syracuse University (135.7 miles)

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